October 2025

16 Walls That Talk: Street Art as Global Storytelling Every city has stories to tell—of struggle, memory, hope, identi- ty. One of the most vibrant ways people share those stories today is through street art. Big murals, graffiti, public walls—they’re not just decoration. They’re voices speaking out. In 2025, street art continues being a pow- erful method for communities worldwide to tell their tales. Here’s how walls are becoming the storytellers. What Makes Street Art a Story Medium Unlike art locked behind gallery walls, street art lives among the people. It lives in neighborhoods, on transit routes, and in public squares. Because of that, it’s ac- cessible. You don’t need a ticket. Youwalk by, you pause, you feel. Street artists bring together vis- uals, symbols, local histories, politics, personal narratives— all in one image or series of im- ages. They turn ordinary walls into canvases where identity, re- sistance, memory, and aspiration meet. Examples from Around the Globe In Cairo, Egypt, Mohamed Mahmoud Street murals after the 2011 Egyptian revolution captured protest-moments, grief, hope. These artworks turned walls around Tahrir Square into diary pages of political expres- sion. In Pisa, Italy, Keith Haring’s Tuttomondo (1989) mural is a lasting celebration of peace, harmony, unity. It uses simple figures and bold colors to com - municate solidarity among hu- manity and caretaking of nature. In London, the Sutton Twin Towns Mural by Gary Drostle and Rob Turner depicts scenes from Sutton and its “twin towns” across Europe. It’s a visual ex- pression of cultural exchange, shared histories across borders. Street Art & Community Im- pact Studies show street art does more than beautify—it can transform how people experience their city. A recent University of Cincin- nati study found that neighbor- hoods with murals have more walkability, more foot traffic,